I send a semi-daily email delivering insights into leadership in exponential times. For entrepreneurs, corporate irritants and change makers. Raw, unfiltered and opinionated. It is called The Heretic and here is the dispatch from 2013-02-28:

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FROM THE MARKETING DISSENTER — WANT TO BE A MARKETING ACE? PRACTICE EMPATHY

Empathetic Marketing — those are two words you don’t usually see expressed together.

But that’s exactly what you are practicing when you put your customer front and centre of your marketing strategy. Something I have to say is a rare beast. Many try — few succeed.

Companies who do this well:

Communicate authentically

Express and live by deep brand values

Know their customers and listen to them

Aim to delight

Are in it for the long haul

So, empathetic? Sound too sissy for you? It shouldn’t. Companies who deeply engage their customers have higher financial results than those who don’t. They build strong customer relationships, and inspire passionate advocates. You don’t get that from only buying keywords on Google.

Just consider, when was the last time you thought about how your next marketing campaign will make the lives of your customers (or potential customers) better? Does your website design communicate who you are and what you stand for authentically? What’s the time horizon for your customers? Have you thought that you might know them for the next 10 years? How would that change how you engage them?

I’d encourage you to think this through. Apply the ‘empathetic’ lens to your strategy, creative ideas and communication. Let me assure you, when you do this — you will reach out to a human being. A click, is just that. If you want more, you have to be prepared to give more.